Thursday, August 27, 2009

No One's Perfect

We all have flaws, but our characters especially should have some, because what fun is there in reading about someone's perfect life? *grin*

Since our MC's have a defining virtue, should they also have a defining weakness? What if their weakness is what causes some of the main conflict in the story? What if the weakness is in direct opposition to the MC's virtue? The characters must have something to struggle against, a temptation or a sin, as well as an outer conflict.

What's your MC's biggest weakness? How does it define him or her? Does it propell the story? Do your characters ever fight the same kind of vices you do?

After reading the Seekerville post on Moral Premise, I signed up for Natasha Kern's ACFW conference class, Vice and Virtue. Wondering what she'll talk about is turning the wheels in my head and give me some blog fodder.

Great post, Jessie! Yep, my characters always have flaws. Most often, it's something internal that they overcome throughout the book as a part of their character arc.

I've also been noticing in my most recent stories that I'm inclined to give them outer/physical flaws as well, which often pose some hardship on their road to happiness.

For example, the historical romance that snagged me an agent has a deaf heroine and a hero with a crippled foot. And each of their flaws play a pivotal role in the storyline, at times posing conflict, but ultimately drawing them together.

In my newest story, my heroine has a horrible scar on her chest that she's very self-conscious of. And my hero, being scarred internally, can see past it in a way other men might not. I've another story which branches off of this one where the hero is recovering from a stroke.

I don't know why those sorts of stories appeal to me, I guess because it gives them so much more to overcome, and ultimately accept about themselves, on their way to finding love. :-)

Hmmmm. I'm trying to decide, is my MC Me, since I write about my experiences? Or is my MC God because He is at the center of my life???If it's me, we really don't have time to go into all my weaknesses. And if it's God, well, He doesn't have any weaknesses!So I guess the thing that propels my story is the fact that a perfect God would desire to have anything to do with imperfect me. And that He would work throught my weaknesses to make me into the woman He wants me to be. Mmmm! He is so good!

Yes, those are wonderful questions, Jessica, and great for a writer because an MC's big failing is what brings out the main internal conflict in the story. So, now I'm worried. What IS my main character's major flaw? I think I'll go with: she's impetuous. She acts and talks probably when she shouldn't. Now I wonder if I help her overcome that by the end of the book. Yikes.

Jess, great question to ponder, as usual. My current MC, a widow, is afraid to take a risk. She's been hurt by men who let her down in the past, so trusting the new man in her life is hard for her to do. As a result, she clings too tightly to her daughter, and this causes conflict.

Hi Patricia,I didn't realize Myra had a post up over there. I think I'm going to go check it out as it's really intriguing me. So your heroine gives up easily...hmmm, fear of success? Or she just doesn't care enough?

Wait! My MC IS perfect! )Just kidding) she's so vulnerable and self deprecating and timid and well the list goes on and on. What I like best, is the fact she's very relatable. I think young teen girls would connect with her on a personal level.

I think weaknesses are easier because they tend to move the plot along. It was thinking of one specific virtue that was new to me,as opposed to just being a fairly moral person. The weaknesses just come as I write and I do plot points that way.

I love to read books where the characters have weaknesses! I also love to WRITE characters that have weaknesses. Who was it that said that therapists are supposed to help people past their troubles, but writers go out of their way to PUT their characters in trouble? Yeah, when the character has weaknesses, it's easy! LOL!!

Well, my character's virtue is a little hard to see at first, considering she's a monster...but it's there. Mainly that she's ridiculously devoted--to her goal and eventually when it comes to loving others. She's also very charming (she knows how to exude that grace and charm like no other!)

But she can be manipulative in some degrees, even if it's underlying as her "human" form. Anddevotion can turn to obsession and that in turn can lead to jealousy and dangerous behavior.

Hi Nancy,I actually think I may have phrased the post wrong because I was thinking about there being one, defining vice of our characters and how it might tangle with their one, defining virtue.I definitely agree that weaknesses are easier. LOL Maybe because we're so acutely aware of our own?

I think in real life there's a direct connection between our virtues and flaws - two sides of a coin. The shadow of the light. So I appreciate it when a writer is able to create characters that show that dichotomy.

I am finding that Virginia Kate's weaknesses, or flaws, are showing through much more in this second book than i nthe first - because she was younger in the first, and because her parent's flaws and weakenesses overshadowed the children's....

Some of her flaws surprised me - but they are hers...and she must work through them....

Well, since I'm my main character, yes, she has plenty of flaws. There is not room on the internet to list them all, but a few are impatience, insecurity, caring too much what others think, and a general lack of tolerance for anyone who doesn't think exacly like she does.

But I am so much fun that I more than make up for my plethora of faults! ahahahaha!

I find it that when our main character's have flaws it adds dimension to them. you see sides to the person you would never see if they were "perfect"

PLUS everyone likes drama. whether its reading about it, causing it, or experiencing it. So without the flaws, you might not have any readers! lol

with that said, I usually have phases with my MCs. I phase in and out of giving my MC one particular flaw OR various. When I focus on one particular flaw, sometimes it may be a "good" flaw(things that people might consider a good characteristic) or a "bad" flaw(things that people may find annoying or not intriguing.)

Gosh...her biggest weakness is her (perfectly natural) insecurities. I think I really need to tease this out a bit. Thank you Jessica for giving me something more to learn about my beloved MC. (She's like a child to me, and everyone knows our children have no flaws right?) ;)

My heart is filled with romantic stories, my shelves are loaded with chocolate and I'm always longing for one more cup of Starbucks. Besides that, I write for Love Inspired Historical and am a happy mom to a bunch of little boys. I post on Wednesdays and love connecting with readers and writers.